Cinemas have always wielded tremendous punch when it comes to destination promotion and marketing. People have thronged to those places in hordes where their favourite movie was shot or the site that was visited by their favourite actors. In order to harness the potential of Cinema tourism, Uttarakhand has launched a slew of schemes aimed at making Uttarakhand an attractive place for movie shoots. Speaking recently at SATTE 2022, the Uttarakhnd Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj shared the details of the new incentives schemes for movies and their their production houses to take advantage of.
The new incentives scheme proposes that if 75 percent of the Hindi films are shot in Uttarakhand, the state government will give 30 percent or upto rupees 1.5 crore of the total production cost. Similarly for regional films, if 75 percent or more of such films are shot in Uttarakhand, the state government will give 30 percent or up to rupees 25 Lakhs of the total production cost.
Attention to the needs and requirements of the production houses in order to make their shooting experience in the seamless is key part of the scheme, Maharaj said while further adding that proper police arrangements with a minimum of five personnel or more if required, residential accommodation for the crew with state’s tourist guest houses would be given to directors and team at 50 per cent discount.
We are ready to hand hold, we are ready to offer any help and support, we are ready to make it easy for you to shoot in the state. We want you to make in India and come make in Uttarakhand too. If there are needs of vehicles for shooting purposes, we would provide that without any cost. You will face little bureaucratic hassle for approvals and other such things. You will get your approvals and permissions within seven days through our single window clearance system. We will try to make this proses of approvals and permissions even faster to order to better facilitate production houses’ shoots and schedules.
“My request to the film fraternity is that today whole country is visiting Uttarakhand and we welcome you too. Come, shoot in Uttarakhand. Just remember to take breaks in between the journey as relaxing could be one of the keys to enjoyment, also for every visitor we will advise to undergo proper medical check-ups. It would greatly compliment your journey and make it safer,” he said.
“We have many numbers of interesting places one being the Galwan valley, which boasts of being 100 years old and traders from Tibet on yaks and horses would come to trade their products in this region. Badahaat (now Uttarakashi) was one of the important places for trades, the valleys and roads of this area has been restored and familiar sights are now better visible. Contrary to today, we had good relationships with Tibet and Chinese,” he added while informing of the some of the picturesque places in the state.
During the war of 1964 many towns were vacated due to Chinese aggression, some of being Jadui, Bagolia and Mohba. When we visit this place, it feels like these villages have been frozen in time as every detail of the town have been exactly like when they were vacated during that war.
“Some of these villages were out of our reach as they were closer to borders but with our due effort some of these villages have been now excluded from inner line permit and can be put to use for tourism. This also helps with the security of the country as more movements in the town will enhance security measures. In the current times this also goes better as we can’t leave our country’s border deserted, and not to forget that they also make for great locations for tourists and film makers alike,” said Maharaj.
The state is also eyeing Timur and Mahadev to be excluded from inner line permit. These villages are also known as the last villages of India situated in Neeti Ghat. Also, there are areas of hills and mountains fully covered with Rodo dandrum and when the time comes for the flower to bloom, it seems the whole forest has been painted red or “goddess Bhagvati has worn her red Saree while sitting atop the hill” as Maharaj said. The sight is so delightful that the visitors feel like they are in heaven.
Furthermore, Maharaj also spoke of upcoming destinations like Rudra Cave that was visited by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for solitude and meditation a few years ago. Today this cave is pre-boooked for months ahead and has emerged as a new tourist hub.
“When it comes to beauty and religious places to visit to and the fairs and festivals associated with them, Uttarakhand has kind of set the bars high and we have plenty to offer in this regard. Melas and community occasions have got great religious relevance with the likes of Lord Shakracharya and Lord Bhagvati. These stories are wonderfully captured in plays and dramas on various festive or ritualistic occasions. The state has such a deep and affectionate understanding of rituals, gods and plays and knows that in order to let it live you need to re-live those stories and for that to happen you need to include them in every other gathering and congregation as well as travel itineraries,” added Maharaj.
